Cheryl Long, Editor in Chief

Cheryl Long is the editor in chief of MOTHER EARTH NEWS magazine, and a leading advocate for more sustainable lifestyles. She lives on an 8-acre homestead near Topeka, Kan., powered in part by solar panels, where she manages a large organic garden and a small flock of Welsummer chickens. Prior to taking the helm at MOTHER, she was an editor at Organic Gardening magazine for 10 years.

Cheryl grew up in rural south-central Nebraska, spending much time on the farms of her grandparents. “They were almost totally self-sufficient, raising beef and dairy cattle, pigs, chickens, bees, grain and a large garden and orchard,” she recalls. “I still remember how good all their food tasted.”

After graduating from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a degree in Integrated Studies, Cheryl worked for two years for an international education organization in New York City. Then she headed to the woods of northeastern Washington, where she and two friends from Nebraska, John Stuart and Carol Mack, bought land and built a small log cabin. They used a vertical log design because the property had recently been logged and did not offer the larger logs needed for a traditional horizontal log home.

“Our plan was to eventually turn this first building into a workshop, after we had built our homes,” Cheryl explains. “But then I chose to move, and John and Carol gradually added on to the “shop,” transforming it into the lovely snug home where they have raised their two children, Tighe and Liz.

Cheryl’s interest in self-sufficiency and sustainable living continued as she moved to Pennsylvania with her partner, poet/writer Linnea Johnson, where she worked at Organic Gardening magazine before being recruited to become the editor in chief of MOTHER EARTH NEWS by the new publisher, Bryan Welch.

Lighten the Strain on the Earth and Your Budget

MOTHER EARTH NEWS is the guide to living — as one reader stated — “with little money and abundant happiness.” Every issue is an invaluable guide to leading a more sustainable life, covering ideas from fighting rising energy costs and protecting the environment to avoiding unnecessary spending on processed food. You’ll find tips for slashing heating bills; growing fresh, natural produce at home; and more. MOTHER EARTH NEWS helps you cut costs without sacrificing modern luxuries.

At MOTHER EARTH NEWS, we are dedicated to conserving our planet’s natural resources while helping you conserve your financial resources. That’s why we want you to save money and trees by subscribing through our earth-friendly automatic renewal savings plan. By paying with a credit card, you save an additional $5 and get 6 issues of MOTHER EARTH NEWS for only $12.00 (USA only).